A Birth day

Ruby looked at the door as it opened and heard Caprice crying she watched as Angus took her from Anise only for Caprice to grab his hair "okay, my turn, come to mommy." she said and chuckled walking over she spoke softly to Caprice who let go of his hair and she took her from his arms " I'll take her and feed her" she said with a smile as she moved to the door as she let Caprice hold her finger as she headed down to the kitchen to make a bottle for her and some food.

Jessie woke and stretched as he slipped out of bed and dressed. Then she moved down to the kitchen "Morning" he said to Ruby as he saw her sitting with Caprice feeding her mushed fruit, which she loved.

Marcus had heard the screaming baby but by the time he had put some clothes on, Ruby was taking her down the hall. He looked in the bedroom and saw Anise, shaking her head, looking frustrated, and leaving for her own room again.

"What was that about?" Marcus asked.

"Baby yanking on her own hair," Angus said, "and then on mine."

"Mine did that," Marcus laughed. "All the bloody time for awhile. God, and when it happened with our first ones, the twins, I was so afraid I was going to break their little fingers. Stubborn little buggars."

"They are definitely stubborn," Angus laughed. "I used a relaxation spell."

"Now, why didn't I think of that when I needed it?"

"Because I'm smarter than you are," Angus teased. Marcus just laughed out loud. He helped Angus shave and dress. and they headed downstairs where Rosaria was serving up lemon ricotta pancakes, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon. Edward and Simone were already eating, when Angus and Marcus got there, and the kids were just starting to eat.

"These are amazing," Victor said, tasting the lemon pancakes. "And they're so fluffy. Are they hard to make?"

"No. Not really," Angus said.

"Then you could make them at home?"

"Sure," he said. "Most Italian food is a matter of really simple ingredients put together well."

"Sit," Marcus told him. "I'll get your plate."

"Thanks," Angus said. Marcus fixed a plate for Angus and one for himself, and they started settled in to enjoy the last breakfast in Italy for awhile again. "Do you think Rosaria and Carlo would come during the family week we're looking at?

"To England? Certainly," Edward said. "They've never taken a holiday, not once in all these years because they said they had no place to go. They said everyone they cared about was right here. So, a holiday where they could just enjoy and not work and still be with family? I think that would be perfect. Good idea."

"We might be tripping over people, though."

"We'll make it work, if we have to add wizarding tents or wizarding caravans. It'll all work out," Edward said. "Ruby's going back to Jeffrey today?"

"She is," Angus said.

"Then we'll help you get all the kids home. Robert, Michael, and Kate have already gone. You just missed them by a few minutes. I know we're ready to get home because we fully expect the garden to be swallowed up in weeds."

"Oh, maybe not," Angus said.

"Anise and I can help you weed," Ginger said.

Jessie walked into the dining room and saw Edward and Simone he smiled as he took some pancakes and sat down " yum, very fluffy" he said as he sat down to eat his food "Ruby feeling Caprice in the kitchen, she was more than a bit grabby this morning and screaming that she was ready for food." he explained just as Ruby brought Caprice with her bottle into the dining room.

" yeah, she had hold of Angus's hair this morning, before that she was pulling at her hair." Ruby said She'd heard Robert and Kate leave that morning so knew they weren't there " might ask Angus to get Robert to check her ear again, just to be sure" she said having an idea it might just be a phase she was going threw.

"I just asked Angus if he'd make more of these pancakes when we get home," Victor told Jessie. "I like these a lot."

"And I'm thinking of asking Rosaria and Carlo to our family week this summer," Angus said. "so maybe we can get her to make more when she comes."

"I have no doubt she would be thrilled to cook for anything that you'd ask her to make," Edward said. "She takes it as a huge compliment when someone asks her to make something again."

"Angus and I were just talking about how some kids seem to go through pulling their own hair as a bit of a phase," Marcus told them. "and most of my kids did it at least once and some of them did it a lot more than that."

"Abbey did it just once," Angus said. "Robert had just gotten home from almost a 48 hour stretch straight at St. Mungo's and had just sat down to some supper when Abbey pulled that nonsense. He just got up, went over to her little cocoon on the floor and made her release her hand, and that was that." He looked at Edward. "Did I ever do that?"

"No. Not you, but Evan did. Several times. Your grandmother thought the solution was going to be to put something in his hand, so she put a pacifier in his hand, but all he did was lob it at people. So I just had to teach him to quit," Edward laughed. "I wouldn't worry, Ruby. It's just a reflex. She's fine. We'll let him know if we see any symptoms of an ear issue, though."

Jessie chuckled and nodded "Oh they will be great," he said as he took another and ate it Ruby sat with Angus and listened to Edward "that's good " she said smiling as she held Caprice who reached out and grabbed her hair tugging it soem what hard.

"Oh boy , guess its my turn now" she said wincing a little at the tug Caprice gave as she drank from her bottle. Ruby took hold of Caprices hand and gently removed her fingers from her hair and looked to Edwrad " you got a pasifier she can hold?" she said and chuckled softly.

Simone accio'd a soft baby toy and levitated it over to Ruby. "Let her hang onto that one. I'd use a sticking charm to stick one end of it to her clothes so she can't lob it at someone or something." Simone said. "She'll give it up soon enough, as soon as she realizes she has some control over it. She's actually a little early to be doing that stuff yet, but she's been just a little ahead of time on a lot of things."

"That's probably because she pretty much always has someone working with her on something," Edward said. "Andrew was telling me that Nigel just hired on a lass from Scotland who specializes in early childhood development and works with babies who are developmentally ahead of schedule to help them continue to stay ahead of things and stay well paced. this lass has a theory that if those abilities are encouraged and developed they could turn out to be gifted children. I think, in some ways, Abbey is going to be a gifted child, so who knows, maybe Caprice could be too. It's hard to say. You could always ask Andrew about this woman."

"I could," Angus said, accepting the information, but honestly, he wasn't going to give it much serious thought. He just wanted Caprice to be happy and healthy. he wasn't going to insult Edward though, so he didn't render an opinion.

"Angus," Rosaria called him from the doorway. "Chiama per te. Sergio. Urgente"

"Sergio's calling by floo. Rosaria says it's urgent," Angus got up and headed quickly into Edward's office, with Marcus and Edward right behind him. At first, Sergio rattled to him in lightning speed Romanian. Angus had to slow him down and get him to start again.

"My son, Angus, my son. A werewolf is loose in my area, and he got my son the night before last. Our healers--they can't stop the bleeding...They say he will die...."

"Sergio, did the beast bite him?" Angus asked.

"No, no...Claw...The claws," Sergio said, openly weeping. "Ana...she has not left him, cannot sleep, cannot eat...."

"Come to England. Bring him. Bring him at once. I'll talk to Robert. Robert and Jess. Maybe Nigel if Robert can reach him. They'll do all they can..."

"I cannot lose my son," Sergio said.

"Take him to Robert straight away," Angus repeated. Sergio ended the call, and Angus immediately opened another call to Robert.

"What's up?" Robert asked, coming quickly.

"Sergio's son--he was clawed by a werewolf and they can't stop the bleeding. Local healers say the boy will die...."

"It can only be stopped with the proper mixture of silver and dittany," Robert said.

"I told them to bring the boy to the estate at once, straight to you. I'm sorry but..."

"Good. Good man. I'll be waiting. I'll have Michael get ahold of Nigel. He can be helpful."

"Can you have someone open my house to Sergio and Ana?"

"Certainly, but I'm sure they'd rather I put them up in the main house til the boy's out of danger. Don't worry. We'll handle it. What about the beast?"

"I don't know. I'll have to get the details from Sergio," Angus said.

"Fair enough. If Edward needs help, we'll provide him whatever fighter power he needs to eliminate the beast," Robert said.

"Thank you," Angus said.

Ruby smiled as a soft toy floated towards her from simone . to her suprise Caprice let go of her hair and grabbed the toy holding it with one hand. Ruby chuckled and was relived " thank you" she said brushing her hair away from Caprices reatch as she listened to the others talking. " I just want her to be happy, if she is ahead thats a bonus." she said smiling down at Caprice as she moved the toy back and forth in her hand.

Hearing Rosaria she looked up at Angus as he responded then got up. " Simone would you mind, just for a moment looking after Caprice" she asked as she stood up and placed her into Simones hands. Once donw she moved to the living room and placed her hand on Angus good shoulder leting him know she was there. Hearing what had happened to sergio's son she gasped softly " oh dear lord" she said but hearing Roberts words she relaxed knowing Robert was taking care of him.

Jessie had over heard the lst part and walked into the room once Robert had signed off " if you need help i'm in" he said to Angus " and Im sure Jack will be too , he knows what its like to be attacked like that." Jessie looked at Angus.

"Thank you," Angus said. "I know you both know what that's like." Angus said. He looked at Edward. "Are we going to Romania?"

"Not until we talk to Sergio," Edward said. "Sergio and Ana have to be our first concerns. And their children. Where are the rest of them?"

"I don't know, but it might not be safe to leave them in Romania."

"If he was attacked around the house, then it won't be. The blood will draw the beast back there," Edward said.

"Marcus,..." Angus looked at him.

"I know. I'll go pack for us and get the kids packing as soon as they finish their breakfasts," Marcus said, turning and hurrying off, knowing they had to get home quickly now. Edward turned to go talk to Simone and to get ready to leave.

"Ru," Angus told her, "I may have to go to Romania to get the kids if Sergio didn't bring them. I can't leave them there. Sometimes her parents come to the house to care for the kids while Sergio and Ana are gone. Edward's right. We can't do that this time. I'll leave the kids with Simone or Kate if I'm going to be gone for any period of time at all."

"I want to go with you," Anise said quietly to Angus from the doorway. "This is for Sergio. I want to come. I can help.""

"If I go, you can come with me," Angus told her, "as long as you're right with me."

"Like glue, Dad. Like glue," Anise nodded seriously. He looked at Ruby.

"You okay with it?" he asked her.

Ruby listened and looked at Angus as he spoke about going to Romania again "I understand, You have to get those kids to safety" she said then heard Anise and smiled as she called Angus's dad again she looked as he spoke to her and she placed her hand on his cheek "Do what you need to keep them safe" she said simply as she smiled at him " I wish I was coming with you." she said then looked at Jessie " look after them " she said and Jessie nodded to her.

"I always do sis," he said and she hugged him. Jessie looked at Anise and smiled "We will be at his side like glue" he said with a smile "Won't stop me from going" he moved to stand with Anise.

"There will be other times," Angus told Ruby, "unfortunately. I'll look forward to when you can come along. There really is a lot of Romania to like. You take care of yourself first. I'll do the rest--for now. Let's go finish breakfast while we can. Marcus will take care of the packing, unless you have some special things you want to take with you." He asked Rosaria to keep an open ear for any other floo messages.

He got up and went back to the dining room to finish his breakfast. Anise was telling Ginger and the boys about the situation and about Romania and about her fondness for Sergio, even with just her one trip to Romania. The boys knew about what Angus had told them about Sergio in the letters Angus had sent to them.

"If we can help, we'll go with you," Sam told Angus.

"I appreciate that," Angus said. "And I will remember that. If I bring Sergio's kids here, they're going to need people a lot closer to their own age than I am. I might need yo all to step up and help me with Sergio's kids." They nodded, understanding. "for now, please go give Marcus a hand with the packing and help him bring all the bags downstairs please." They nodded, and they all got up and hurried upstairs.

"When we all leave, I'll bring Caprice with me, shall I?" Simone asked, knowing that it was far easier to port with a baby if one had both hands.

"Yes, please. That would be huge help, thanks," Angus said. Edward came back in.

"I just heard from Kate. Sergio and Ana got there with the boy, but they left the other kids behind. They're really rattled and they're not thinking. I told them we'd go and get the other kids from Sergio's and bring them to England," Edward said.

"I'll go," Angus said. "The kids know me, and they trust me. I'll go get them. I'll take Jessie and Anise with me if you and Simone and Marcus can get everyone else safely home."

"You sure?" Edward asked.

"Positive," Angus said. "Won't take us more than an hour or so at best."

"Don't go unarmed," Edward said.

"I won't," Angus replied. He looked at Ruby and sighed. "Seems like we're always rushing off in different directions, aren't we? I guess I never promised you it would be boring, did I? I'm sorry."